Getting the SDGs back on track - Perspectives from Civil Society

Less than seven years remain to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda. While some progress was made since the agenda’s adoption in 2015, recent developments, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, the intensifying climate and cost-of-living crises, as well as Russia’s war on Ukraine, have further obstructed an already difficult path toward the achievement of the SDGs.

As the international community finds itself at a critical juncture, how can we find common ground and work together to bring the UN’s Sustainable Development Agenda back on track? And what role can civil society actors play to amplify the voices of citizens, hold governments accountable, and drive meaningful change toward a more just and sustainable future?

Against this backdrop, we hosted a roundtable discussion with Germany’s Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Svenja Schulze, held Thursday, May 18 at the FES New York office. Together with leading civil society experts, we reflected on these critical issues to explore not just the challenges before us, but also innovative solutions to advance multilateralism and sustainable development at this pivotal moment.